Biomethanisation of CO2 in anaerobic digestion plants

Completed

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Hydrogen end uses (incl. combustion; excl. fuel cells))
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Production of other biomass-derived fuels (incl. Production from wastes))

Basic and strategic applied research

BIOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (Biological Sciences)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (General Engineering and Mineral & Mining Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor C Banks
Faculty of Engineering and the Environment
University of Southampton

Standard

EPSRC

01 July 2015

31 December 2019

54 months

£1,852,567

Process engineering

South East

Manufacturing : Manufacturing

Professor C Banks, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton

Dr JP Chong, Biology, University of York
Dr S Heaven, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton
Dr W Nimmo, Energy Resources Research Unit, University of Leeds
Professor M Pourkashanian, Energy Resources Research Unit, University of Leeds
Professor J Thomas-Oates, Chemistry, University of York
Dr Y Zhang, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton

Project Contact, Fera Science Limited
Project Contact, ITM Power PLC
Project Contact, United Utilities PLC
Project Contact, Lutra Limited

The research will create a hybrid anaerobic digestion process in which hydrogen made from renewable energy sources (e.g. wind and photovoltaics) is used to produce biomethane at more than 95% purity. The process therefore provides an efficient in situ biogas upgrading technique which will maximise the conversion of the available carbon in waste biomass into a fuel product that has a wide range of applications, including short-term storage for grid balancing and use as a vehicle fuel. The process is likely to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable than current methods for biogas upgrading as there is reduced process loss of methane. The target is to develop the system for use in the water industry where there is a large potential to integrate it into existing infrastructure and to maximise the use of process heat and other by-products. A second targeted application is at a smaller scale on farms, where there is an abundant supply of waste biomass and a lack of suitable biogas upgrading plant

08/04/15